Methods for art conservators to differentiate among acrylic resin and acrylic emulsion, oil and alkyd artist's paint media were developed that use hot-stage softening and solubility tests. Adapted from procedures outlined in ASTM, NIST and forensic science publications, the tests provide precise mdeia characterization using a microscope and a few simple tools. Standard paint samples were analyzed by Fourior transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and pyrolysis gas-chromatography-mass spectroscopy (PY-GC-MS) to monitor the new test methods. Thin layer chromatography was used as a separatpry mechanism to further analyze the samples used in this study. Components isolated by TLC from one sample were studied using GC-MS and PY-GC-MS.